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Suppy issues - Help!

My lo is a little over 6 months. My supply has seems to be significantly dropping over the past week or so. She has been eating solids now since she turned 6 months. I always was able to send her to daycare with 3-3oz bottles every day. Sometimes I was able to get a little extra (maybe an oz or 2) but I usually used that for her cereal on the weekends. I usually was able to pump about 9-10oz at work during 3 pumping sessions. Lately (the past week or two) it seems to be decreasing. Yesterday I got 1oz, 3oz, and 2 oz. when I usually get 2oz, 3-4oz, and 3-4oz. I had to send her to daycare with less than normal milk. Should I start supplementing her. I don't want to have to but I don't like the idea of sending her with smaller than normal bottles. I also plan on pumping about 1-1.5 hours after her bedtime feeding right before I go to bed to try to get more but I barely got an oz last night when I did. This morning I barely got 1 oz when I usually get 2. I did start taking Nursing Blend a little over a week ago when I noticed a slight decrease. Within a couple of days of taking it I may have noticed a slight increase of maybe 1 oz. Now a week later I'm coming up about 2 oz short. Would it be alright to send her with 2-3oz bottles instead of 3 since she is eating solids? Her weight was fine at her 6 mth c/u but this started happening after that. Could the Nursing Blend be decreasing rather than increasing? Or could it be due to the solids? I bought a bottle of Fenugreek to try. I know Nursing Blend has it in it but I thought maybe it wasn't enough and was going to try adding a dose or two of the Fenugreek too. Please help! I'm deperate to keep Nursing to at least a year.

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

Oh I also should mention that this past week or so she has been sleeping anywhere from 9-10 hour stretches. Occasionally she does wake earlier and I nurse her. Before this she was waking at least once sometimes twice. I wasn't pumping before bed but believe me I will be from now on.

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

Couple thoughts. First, have you gotten your period back? If not, it could be on its way. Lots of moms notice supply dips in the days leading up to their period. And if baby has now been sleeping through the night and started solids, those could be the triggers for getting your period back. If that's the case, supply typically improves within a couple days of getting your period. Some moms find a calcium/magnesium supplement helps. Another possibility is that the sleeping through the night itself is the reason for your supply dip. Nighttime nursing does a lot for daytime supply. So you might want to consider doing some dream feeds at night or pumping at night (in addition to the bedtime pumping) if you don't want to wake LO one. Third, could be a pump issue. Changing out replaceable parts (such as membranes) is something to consider trying. Other possiblities to consider: could you be pregnant? are you on new hormonal birth control? have you been taking over-the-counter medications or herbs? Peppermint and sage can decrease milk supply.

Anyway, while you're trying to sort out why supply might be decreasing, definitely agree with your plan to increase demand - whether by nursing or pumping. Pumping at home is a good idea, you could also consider pumping for longer at work (even if that means "pumping dry") or adding in a session at work depending on time constraints. On the weekends, encourage nursing from your little one. And no, at this point solids can't make up for the extra calories. Breastmilk is the primary source of nutrition up to a year. Solids are really for learning new tastes, textures, and motor skiils.

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

I started to get my period again when she was 3 mths. I have been expecting it for a week but it hasn't been as timely as it used to so far so I'm hoping that it's not that I'm pregnant. She has sleeping mostly through the night since she was about three or 4 months (I can't remember exactly) but took a break from for about a month around 5 or 5.5 months and just started again sometime after turning 6 months. My supply was fine back then. I really hate to wake her because I already feel bad enough waking her at 5:30 to get ready for daycare. I could change out the replaceable pump pieces. I have also already gone through one Ameda Purely Yours due to it quitting on me once. I also did start taking the Nursing Blend supplement a little over a week ago to prevent my supply, which had decreased slightly at the time, from decreasing any further but that is supposed to increase it. I wasn't aware of it being able to decrease it. Are you? I already pump once before work and 2 times during work for anywhere form 20-30minutes. I can't really stand to add any more in at work though.

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

I'm not familiar with Nursing Blend but it seems unlikely that would be the cause. Hopefully it's just your period on its way and things will get better once that comes. Are you using another Purely Yours? Do you think it could be crapping out on you again?

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

I just got my period last night so hopefully that is all it was. I did skip my Nursing Blend supplement yesterday just in case. My second two pumping sessions were a bit better than the day before but not quite what I was getting last week after initially starting the supplement. I too do think it is just because my peiord was on the way and has nothing to do with the supplement. I plan on starting the supplement back up again because it must have been responsible for the slight increase I was having last week before the huge decrease started. Ameda had sent me a new replacement pump after the original one crapped out on me. Hopefully it doesn't happen again or I'll just probably buy a Medela. Maybe I should have just got a Medela from the start but I had been told that Ameda was the second best and a little cheaper.

I'm also glad that you mentioned BM was still the primary source of nutrition for the first year. My pediatrician had given me the impression that I was to start increasing her solids more at 6 months. She had told me that she should start having 3 meals a day shortly after introducing them. When she is at home with me I do nurse before giving her any solids but I was then giving her at least 2 tablespoons or a little more of solids right after or shortly after. Do you think I should cut back some on the solids to ensure that she nurses as long and as frequently as she did before the solids?

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

I agree, cut back on the solids when you're together so that she'll give you maximum stimulation at the breast. And the idea that a 6 month old is going to sit down to three meals a day is completely laughable! If she has a couple bites, fine. If not - also fine. She does not need the solids at this point.
I haven't used the Ameda but I've definitely had a good experience with my Medela pump in style advanced (I've also used the Medela freestyle, which I didn't like as much). The one person I know who had an Ameda ended up throwing it on the floor in frustration because it just wasn't doing the job for her. Another option to consider is renting a hospital-grade pump, such as a Medela Symphony. You could try it out for a month and see if it improves things. There are some moms on here who swear by it. Unfortunately though you do have to buy a kit of the parts, so there is some up-front investment in addition to the rental fee.
In terms of your period, I actually think that's good news - usually after a couple days the supply comes back. And I've found that I don't always get the supply drop with my period, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

She does really enjoy most of the solids we've been giving her but I will definetly cut backwhen she is with me and try to nurse more. I would really like to rent one of the other pumps that you mentioned to see if they are more efficent before buying. When I first went back to work when she was 2 mths I got more milk in less time 10-15 minutes compared to 20 or more now.

As for the period affecting my supply... it has at times affected it slightly but never as much as it did this time. Thanks for the excellent advice ladies. I need to get on her more often instead of just whdn I'm having problems. That way i can prevent problems.

Re: Suppy issues - Help!

One more question ladies... If this happens again another month should I just send LO to daycare with the actual amount of decreased milk that I get and the regular amount of solids that I usually send her with or should I send her with the actual amount of decreased milk plus a little more solids to hold her over? And should I not give her any solids when she is home with me in the evenings and weekends when I'm having issues and/or ever? I wish I would have done a lot more research about breastfeeding and introducing solids before I gave birth and before she reached that milestone. Maybe I need to find another doctor too. One that really supports breastfeeding the way you ladies do and can offer me the advice you ladies do. Oh, and one more thing. My LO usually STTN (7:30 or 8pm - 5 or 5:30am). Should I let this continue or so I be doing any dream feeds. Occasionally she does wake up once through the night and I nurse her but she doesn't do this all the time. I actually enjoy my sleep when she does but I don't want it to affect my supply if anyone thinks it will.